Hello, Google Friends, and welcome to the April edition of this
newsletter. We hope you enjoy this update on our various services and
new products, and find it useful.

POWER TIP

More ways to personalize the Google homepage
Now it’s easier than ever to personalize your Google homepage with more
content ranging from local weather to custom Google logos, and
headlines from sources like CNN and ESPN. If you’re so inclined, it’s
easy to create your own modules using our API.
Directory: http://www.google.com/ig/directory
API: http://www.google.com/apis/homepage

NEW PRODUCTS

Google Calendar
Here’s a new web-based way to keep track of all the events in your
life, coordinate schedules with others, and find new things to do via
one online calendar. Google Calendar works with other calendar
applications, is integrated with Google Mail, and you can even set up
multiple calendars for work, leisure, and family activities. View your
schedule by day, week or month and set up automatic reminders and find
anything on your calendar with the built-in search tool.
http://calendar.google.com

Toolbar for Firefox v2
The new version of the Google Toolbar for the Firefox browser is now
available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. There’s an enhanced search
box, safe browsing, and several smarter browsing features including
spelling corrections, search history and instant suggestions.
http://www.google.com/tools/firefox/toolbar

Share with Google Reader
Google Reader, which helps you keep track of the latest content from
websites you like to read regularly, just added the ability to share
items you’re labeling or starring with your friends, family and anyone
else who’s reading. Send a link to your starred items in Reader, or put
a clip on your blog with recent items from your reading list. Friends
can then subscribe to a feed of items you’ve selected (even if they
don’t use Google Reader) and visitors to your blog can see it in the
sidebar, too. To get started with sharing, just click the „Share“ link
in Reader.
http://reader.google.com

Google Mail Mac Notifier
Mac users will be pleased to know that a new version of the Google Mail
Notifier – a small download that alerts you to new messages – is
now available. It sports new icons, and runs on both PowerPC Macs and
the new Intel-based Macs. Extra bonus: it will notify you when a new
version is available and automatically upgrade itself.
https://mail.google.com/mail/help/notifier/

Joga.com
In partnership with Nike, Google has introduced Joga.com, an online
community for people crazy about football, or soccer as it’s known in
the U.S. Joga combines Google technology with Nike’s unique sports
content and access to players and brings people all over the world
together to celebrate their shared passion for the game. Joga members
can build their own groups and clubs, share all kinds of
football-related information, upload photos and video, and organize and
give updates on local matches and events. Members keep current with
Friend Requests, Alerts, and Messages. And in the coming months, Google
and Nike will be bringing out more tools and features to help Joga
members embrace their love of football in this global online setting.
By the way, the name comes from the Portuguese phrase „Joga Bonito“ or
„play beautiful.“
http://www.joga.com

MISCELLANY

The Da Vinci Code Quest on Google
Together with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Google is promoting the
upcoming film „The Da Vinci Code“ through a time-limited interactive
contest on the Google personalized homepage. This began on April 17,
and each day until May 11, Google will release one Da Vinci Code-style
puzzle or riddle. Finalists then compete on May 19, the date of the
film release. To enter the contest, sign in to your Google account and
add the Da Vinci Code Quest module to your Google homepage. You will
see a new puzzle to complete each day at 1 p.m. EDT. The first 10,000
participants who correctly solve all 24 daily puzzles and submit a
completion form will win a replica of the cryptex described in Dan
Brown’s book, and use the tool to compete in the final phase of the
contest (five more time-sensitive puzzles). The grand prize winners in
the U.S., the U.K., and Australia will win trips to the film premiere.
Go here to register and play:
http://www.google.com/davincicode

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The Google Blog offers frequent updates and insights about our
technology and products, and the company at large.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com